Office



No. 608,99I.

E. NEFF.

, Patented Aug. 9, I898;

PUMPING APPARATUS FORWATER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS.

(No Model.)

(Application filed Sept. 30, 1896.)

3 Shams-Sheet l.

m: NORRIS PETERS co. FNOTO-LITHG., WASHINGTON o. c.

No. 608,99I. Patented Aug. 9, I898.

E. NEFF. PUMPING APPARATUS FUR'WATER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS.

(Application filedsept. 30, 1896.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m: uoams Prrzns 50., momumou WASHINGTON, D. c.

Illllll I M ITIIlfi F M P VM E ||l l ll hl r SQ S7 k Patented Aug. 9, I898.

E. NEFF.

PUMPING APPARATUS FOR WATER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS.

(Application filed Sept. 30, 1896.)

(No Model.)

3 She ets-$heet 3.

l am rm 97 Eli ah THE uonms PETERS co, PHOTQ-LWHO. WASHINGTON. o. c

UNITED STATES" [PATENT Prion.

ELIJAH NEFF, OF MILFORD, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO EDI/VIN IV. HIGBEE, OF

SAME PLACE.

PUMPING APPARATUS FOR WATER-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,991, dated August-.9, 1898.

A li atio fil d September 30, 1896. Serial No. 607,461. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ELIJAH N EFF, a citizen of the United States, residingat Milford,in the county of Kosciusko and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Pumping Apparatus for Tater-Distributing Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to'pumping apparatus for water-distributing systems; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful construction of apparatus having positive means for collecting and storing a quantity of air, so that the compression of the latter will pro vide the requisite pressure orhead to distribute the water to the point of use whether for domestic or other purposes; 7 To this end the main and primary object of the invention is to construct an improved apparatus for accomplishing in a more satis factory manner the work accomplished by the apparatus disclosed in my former patents, Nos. 451,835 and 512,737; I

With this and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pumping apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the alined pumpcylinders on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a vertical cross-sectional view on the line 4 4E of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 6 (i of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective of the air-cylinder and the air-conducting-pipe connections therewith and with the water discharge or conducting pipe. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the aircheck-valve connections with the air-cylinder. Fig.0 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the filtering-tank and the pipe connections therewith. Fig. 10 is a plan and sectional view of a portion of one of the perforate filter-diaphragms of the filter-tank. Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail sectional view of-the stay-bolt connection for the end heads of the storage-tank in which the air and water are stored under pressure. a

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates a compression storage-tank adapted to be arranged in any convenient position and designed to have pumped therein a supply of water and air and to hold the air under sufficient compression so as to force the Water out through the distributing pipe connections to thedesired point of use, this function of thestorage-tank being the same as set forth in connection with the storage-tanks disclosed in my former patents hereinbefore referred to.

The compression storage-tank 1 essentially comprises acylindrical-body portion 2 and the opposite circular end heads 3, suitably fitted to the ends of the body portion 2, and in the presentinvention the said end heads 3 are provided with the threaded openings 4, adj ustably receiving therein the eXteriorlythreaded and tapered hollow nuts 5, fitted into'the openings 4 fromthe exterior of the heads 3, and interiorly threaded, as at 6, to adjustably engage the threaded tip extremities 7 of the longitudinal stay-rods 8. Any number of the stay-rods 8 maybe employed and extend longitudinally within the tank, from head to head thereof, and are connected with such heads by means of the adjustable nuts 5 to form interior stays or braces for theheads of the tank, so as to prevent the same from being strained or bulged by the pressure con tained within the tank. The said tank 1 has suitably fitted to the lower side thereof or at the bottom the oppositely-located distributing-pipe connections 9,provided with cut-off valves 10, Whichjcontrol the delivery of the water from'the tank through the line of distribnting-pipes to the point of use. 0

The storage-tank 1 just described forms a part of the pumping system contemplated by the present invention, and at one side of the tank 1 is arranged a suitable pump base, frame, or bed 11," provided at its upper side with the longitudinally-disposed cross-head guides 12 and having suitably mounted at one end of the same a horizontally-disposedwater-cylinder 13. The horizontally-disposed water-cylinder is designed for use in drawing IOO in a supply of water and delivering the same to the air-supplying devices of the apparatus, and in the present invention the said horizontally-disposed water-cylinder 13 has fitted therein a smaller interior auxiliary cylinder 14 of a shorter length than the cylinder 13 and having its ends terminating short of the cylinder 13, so as to leave a sufficient space between the ends of the two cylinders to permit of the circulation of a volume of water or fluid of the area of the water-inlet for the watercylinder. The interior auxiliary cylinder 14 is properly positioned within the water-cylinder 13 by means of a plurality of short spacing-lugs 15, projectedinwardly from the inner sides of the cylinder 13 and contacting with the exterior sides of the cylinder 14, which latter cylinder has a tight fit against the lugs 15, so as to remain firmly in position, spaced from the sides and ends of the water-cylinder,as plainly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The interior auxiliary cylinder 14 of the horizontal water-cylinder 13 snugly receives therein the reciprocating piston-head 16, fitted on one end of the piston-rod 17, working through a stuffing-box 18 at one end of the cylinder 13 and operated in the manner to be presently referred to. The reciprocation of the piston-head 16 in the auxiliary cylinder 14 provides the requisite suction for drawing a supply of water alternately into opposite ends of the water-cylinders through the water-inlet-valve casings 19, having nipple connections 20 with the water-inlet openings 21, formed in one side of the cylinder 13, respectively near opposite ends thereof. The water-inlet-valve casings 19 are preferably of a spherical shape to provide water-chambers of sufficient area to accommodate the volume of water that the water-cylinder is capable of a receiving, and the said spherical casings 19 are provided at their lower sides with the inlet-necks 22, at the upper end of which are formed the annular check-valve seats 23, over which play the gravity check-valves 24, having upwardly-disposed stems 25, guided for movement intheguide-plugs26,removablyfitted in the upper sides of the said casings. The lower inlet-necks 22 of the water-inlet-valve casings 19 are fitted in openings formed in the upper side of a Water-inlet chamber or box 27, having fitted thereto a water-supply pipe 28, leading to a well or other source of water-supply. It will be obvious that when the pistonhead 16 moves toward one end of the watercylinder water will be drawn into the cylinder through one of the water-inlet-valve casings 19, while the check-valve in the other inletvalve casing 19 will be closed by the pressure of the water forced in front of the advancing piston-head until the latter reverses its stroke, so that as the piston-head continues to reciprocate there is a constant stream of water being drawn into the water-cylinder.

The water that is drawn into the watercylinder by the piston-head is forced by such head out through the outlet-ports 29, formed in the upper side of the cylinder and communicating with the interior of the water-distributing chamber or box 30, fitted on the upper side of the water-cylinder 13. Arranged to work within the water-distributing box or chamber 30 over the 0utlet-ports 29 of the water-cylinder are the verticallymovable gravity check-valves 31, having upwardlydisposed stems 32, working in the hollow guide-plugs 33, removably fitted in openings 34, formed in the top side of the chamber or box 30, The outlet-ports 29 and the checkvalves 31 thereover are located, respectively,

at opposite sides of the vertical center of the water-cylinder, so that as the piston-head. 16 moves in one direction it will close one-of the check-valves 31 and force water through the outlet-port covered by the other check-valve and into the distributing chamber or box 30, this operation providing for the continuous discharge of Water from the cylinders 13 and 14 into the distributing chamber or-box 30.

The water-distributing chamber or box 30 for the water-cylinder 13 has fitted to the top side thereof at a central point the lower open end of an upright chamber 35, provided at its upper closed end with an air-cock 36, and fitted in the waterdischarge opening 37, formed in one side of the chamber or box 30, is one end of a water discharge or conducting pipe 38, the other end of which pipe is fitted in the inlet-opening 39, formed in one side of the air-cylinder 40. The air-cylinder 40 is arranged in a horizontal position on the pump base, frame, or bed 11, opposite to and in horizontal alinement with the water-cylinder 13, and said air-cylinder 40 has arranged therein a separate inner smaller auxiliary cylinder 41. The separate inner smaller auxiliary cylinder 41 of the air-cylinder 40 is of the same length as the said cylinder 40 and is fitted at its opposite ends in the interior bosses 42, formed at the ends of the cylinder 40 to receive the ends of the cylinder 41, whereby the heads of the cylinder 40 will close the open ends of both cylinders. The inner auxiliary cylinder 41 of the air-cylinder is spaced suf ficiently from the inner sides of the cylinder 40 to form an annular distributing-chamber 43 between the two cylinders, and the said inner auxiliary cylinder 41 snugly receives therein a reciprocating piston-head 44 of a similar construction to the piston-head 16 and fitted on the end of the piston-rod 17 opposite the end carrying the head 16.

The piston-rod 17, carrying the oppositelylocated heads 16 and 44, also slides through a stuffing-box 45 at one end of the air-cylinder 40 and has fitted thereon between the cylinders 13 and 40 a cross-head 46, sliding be.

tween the cross-head guides 12 and having pivotally coupled thereto one end of a connecting-rod or pitman 47, the other end of which connecting-rod or pitman is coupled to a crank-pin connection 48 between an adjacent crank-wheel 49 and spur-gear 56-, sup ported for rotation in parallel planes on the.

40, which will be more to.

base or bed 11 beyond the cylinder 40, and

the spur-gear 56 meshes with a pinion 57, fitted on a drive-shaft 58, journaled in suitable bearings on an extension of the base or bed 11 and carrying at one end a balance-wheel 59 and at its other end a belt-pulley 60 to receive the drive-belt from any suitable motive power.

A supply of air is drawn into opposite ends of the inner auxiliary cylinder 41 of the aircylinder through the oppositely-located airinlet oil-cups 61. The air-inlet oil-cups are arranged at one side ofthe cylinder 40, exterior thereto and respectively at opposite ends, and said cups are provided in their outer sides with the air-inlet openings 62 and have threaded necks 63, fitted in the air-inletcylinder ports 64, piercing the solid ends of the cylinder 40 and communicating with the interior of the auxiliary cylinder 41, respectively at opposite ends thereof, so that air will be drawn .into the auxiliary cylinder 41 at both sides of the piston-head 44 as such head reciprocates.

Directly opposite the air-inlet-cylinder ports 64 are-arranged a pair of air-outlet-cylinder ports 65, respectively located near opposite ends of the air-cylinder and communicating with the interior of the auxiliary cylinder 41, at opposite ends thereof, to provide for the discharge of air into the air-outlet-valve casings 66, having nipple connections with the openings 65. The air-outlet-valve casings 66 accommodate therein gravity check valves 67, which prevent the return flow of air into the auxiliary cylinder, and said oppositelylocated valve-casings 66 have fitted thereto the air-conducting pipes 68, which lead from their point of connection with the casings66 to a common T connection 69, which is also fitted to the upper end of a single air-delivery pipe 7 O, providedwith an ordinary stop-cock 71 and having a connection with the water discharge or conducting pipe 38, adjacent to its connection with the air-cylinder. An air- Vent cock 72 is fitted to the T connection 69 to provide for the discharge of the air when it is desired not to commingle the same with the water discharging into the air-cylinder particularly referred At this point it is to be observed that by reason of connecting the air-delivery pipe With the water-pipe 38 adjacent to the connection of the latter with the chamber 40 of the air-pump the air and water will be delivered together into said chamber 40 and will violently circulate around the innercylinder 41 before reaching the main deliverypipe 73, thereby insuring the thorough commingling of the air and water, which is necessary to provide a steady operation of the pumping apparatus and a proportionate delivery of the air and water into the storagetank 1. It willalso be noted that the circulation of water around the inner cylinder40 serves to keep such cylinder cool, while the connection of thepipe 7 Owith the pipe 38 provides an arrangement whereby the piston 44 of the air-pump will assist in the forcible discharge of the commingled air and water from the chamber 40 through the delivery-pipe 73 and into the storage-tank. 1

The charge of Water and air which is delivered into the annular distributing-chamber 43 of the air-cylinder is discharged from such cylinder through the main delivery-pipe 73, fitted at one end in one side of the cylinder 40 at a point opposite the connection of the the impurities from the water and thoroughly.

filter the same during its passage from the upper to the lower end of the tank. The said tank 74 is provided at its lower end with the depending filtered-water trap 77, having a valved pipe connection 7 8 at one side thereof, which permits filtered water to be drawn off from the trap 7 7 ,if desired, andextendinginto the said filtered-Water trap 77 is the lower end of the tank-supply pipe. 79, extending centrally through the filtering-tank and the top thereof and having a connection with one end of the storage-tank near the bottom thereof, so as to deliver the water and air into the storage-tank at a point below the airline. The said pipe 7 9, near its point of connection with the tank 1, is provided with an ordinary stopcock or valve 80, which is used to shut oif the supply to the tank when the same is charged to its full capacity; but when the tank is to be replenished the valve 80 is opened and the valves 10 of the distributing-pipe connections 9 closed, thus giving a clear passage for the water and air from the pumping devices through the filter and the supply-pipe 79.

The filter-tank 74 has fitted to the top end thereof, by means of a coupling-plug 81, the lower open end of a safety-valve casing 82, provided at its upper end with a vent-passage 83, through which extends the upper end of a valve-stem 84, having fitted on its upper extremity a screw-knob for regulating the tension of the spring 86, arranged Within. the casing 82 and coiled on the stem 84 between one end of the casing 82 and the collar 87of the stem. The spring 86 normally presses the stem 84 downward. The said stem is IIO provided at its lower end with a valve 88,

working on the upper end of the plug 81., to cover and uncover the passage therethrough. When the pumping devices are forcing the air and Water under too great a pressure through the tilteringtank and into the, storage-tank, the valve 88 is raised and the air blows off through the valve-casing 82 until the pressure of air again reaches the normal condition, and in this connection it will be observed that the water in the storage-tank will always be under a pressure of air when the pumping devices are either working or at rest, said air-pressure being automatically regulated and governed during the operation of the pumping devices by the safety-valve just described.

In the operation of the pumping devices it is understood that the reciprocating pistonrod 17, carrying the oppositely-located piston-heads l6 and 44:, causes a pumping action to occur in both the water and air cylinders, and it has already been explained that the reciprocations of the piston-head 16 provide for drawing in a supply of water into the water-cylinder 13 and for discharging water through the pipe 38 and into the annular distributing-chamber 43 of the air-cylinder 10.

The piston-head 14:, traveling in unison with the piston-head 16, will cause an alternate suction of air through the cups 61, so as to draw in a supply of air into the auxiliary chamber 41 and force the same through the air-conducting pipes 68 and the delivery-pipe 70 into the pipe 38, which delivers the commingled water and air into the cylinder 40, from which it is carried by the pipes 73 and 79 into the tank 1 in the manner described. If at any time while the pump is in operation it is desired to cut off the supply of air, the stop-cock 71 is closed and the vent-cock 72 opened, so that the air forced out of the air-cylinder will discharge back into the outer atmosphere. The pressure of air delivered with the water into the discharge-tank may be controlled and determined by the manipulation of the cocks 71 and 72 in the manner described.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described pumping apparatus for water-distributing systems will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be further understood that changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pumping apparatus, the combination with a storage-tank, of a water-cylinder having valved water inlet and outlet connections therewith, an air-cylinder arranged in alinement with the water-cylinder and having an interior annular distributing-chamber,

delivery-pipe connections between said delivery-chamber and the storage-tank, a waterdischarge connection between the water-cylinder and said distributing-chamber of the air-cylinder, a suitably-operated piston-rod carrying at its opposite ends piston-heads respectively working in the two cylinders, and suitable air-supply-pipe connections between the air cylinder and said waterdischarge pipe, substantially as set forth.

2. In a pumping apparatus, the combination with a storage-tank, of a water-cylinder having valved water inlet and outlet connections therewith, an air-cylinder arranged in alinem ent with the water-cylinder and having interior separated air and distributing chambers, a Water-discharge-pipe connection between the water-cylinder and the distribut ing-chamber of the air-cylinder, a deliverypipe connection with the delivery-chamber of the air-cy1inder, a suitably-operated pistonrod carrying at its opposite ends piston-heads respectively workingin the two cylinders, and air-supply-pipe connections between 'the in terior air-chamber of the air-cylinder and the water-discharge pipe, substantially as set forth.

3. In a pumping apparatus, the combina tion with a storage-tank, of a water-pumping cylinder having water inlet and discharge pipe connections therewith, an air-cylinder having interior separated air and distributing chambers, the latter of which is in communication with the discharge-pipe of the water-cylinder, a delivery-pipe connection with the delivery-chamber of the air-cylinder, areciprocatingpiston-rodcarryingoppositelylocated piston-heads respectively working in the two cylinders, and valved air-supply-pipe connections between the interior air-chamber of the air-cylinder and the water-discharge pipe, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pumping apparatus, the combination with a storage-tank, of a water-pumping cylinder having water inlet and discharge pipe connections therewith, an air-cylinder having interior separated air and distributing chambers, the latter of which is in communication with the discharge-pipe of the water-cylinder, a delivery-pipe connection with the delivery-chamber of the air-cylinder, a reciprocating piston-rod carrying oppositelylocated piston-heads respectively working in the two cylinders and having a sliding crosshead connection between the cylinders, suitably-arranged power-gearing having a pitman connection with the cross-head connection of the piston-rod, and valved air-supplypipe connections between the interior airchamber of the air-cylinder and the waterdischarge pipe, substantially as set forth.

5. In a pumping apparatus, the combination with the water-discharge pipe of awaterpumping device, of an air-pump comprising an inner air-cylinder having air inlets and outlets, a piston working in said cylinder, and a combined water and air distributing chamber jacketing or surrounding the inner cylinder and in communication with said water-discharge pipe, a main delivery-pipe communicating with said distributingchamber at a point opposite the connection of said wa- ICO ter-discharge pipe therewith, and means for delivering air from the inner air-cylinder into the said distributing-chamber, substantially as set forth.

6. In a pumping apparatus, the combination with a storage-tank, of an air cylinder having a separate inner smaller auxiliary cylinder closed at its ends and spaced from the sides of the air-cylinder to form an annular distributing-chamber between the two cylinders, a Water-pumping device having a discharge-pipe connection with the distributingchamber of the air-cylinder, a delivery-pipe connection with said distributing chamber, the piston-head reciprocating within the auxiliary cylinder, and valved air supply-pipe connections between the inner auxiliary cylinder and the discharge-pipe of the water pumping device, substantially as set forth.

In a pumping apparatus, the combination with a storage-tank, of an air cylinder having a separate inner auxiliary cylinder extending the entire length thereof and closed at its ends, said air-cylinder being further provided with oppositely-located air-inlet oilcups communicating with the interior of the auxiliary cylinder at opposite ends thereof, the piston-head reciprocatingwithin the auxiliary cylinder, a water-pumping device havin g a discharge-pipe connection with the space between the two cylinders, a delivery-pipe connection for the discharge from the air-cylinder, a single air-delivery pipe provided with a stop-cock and having a connection at one end with the water-discharge pipeof the water-pumping device, airconducting pipes having check-valve connections with the aircylinder near its opposite ends and communicating with the inner auxiliary cylinder, said air-conducting pipes also being connected with one end of the single air-delivery pipe, and an air-vent cock fittedto the connection between the air conducting and delivery pipes, substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with the water and air pumping devices, and the storage-tank, of an up right filter-tank provided at its lower end with a depending filtered water trap extension having a pipe connection therewith, a pair of oppositely-located perforate filter diaphra'gms' fitted in the tank respectively near its upper and lowerends, a delivery-- pipe leading from the pumping devices into the upper end of the filter-tank, and atank-supply pipe leading to the storage-tank and ar ranged centrally in the filter tank with its lower end disposed in said water-trap exten sion, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. ELIJAI-I N EFF.

Witnesses:

' J OSEPH C. WILLIARD, E. W. NEGLEN. 

